# Accident 19970831024779A: Piper PA22, Castlewood, SD, August 31, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 1997, 19:00 local time
- Place: Castlewood, SD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.3306° N, 96.7601° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3306&lon=-96.7601&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2743P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2743P-1998-03-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2B
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,100 total, 650 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA279) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970831024779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW OVER GROUND, PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND STRUCK A TREE. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FLY OVER ONE OF HIS PASSENGER'S FARM.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS, 'AT A LOW LEVEL.'  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE ACCIDENT LOCATION SOMETHING FELL OFF THE DASHBOARD AND HE LEANED FORWARD AND DOWN TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT WAS.  THE PILOT STATED THAT, 'AS I LEANED DOWN, I APPARENTLY FORCED THE YOKE FORWARD, LOWERING THE ATTITUDE.'  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LOOKED UP, 'IT WAS TOO LATE, THE TREES WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.  I GAVE BACK PRESSURE ON THE ELEVATOR, BUT AGAIN TOO LATE AND STRUCK THE TREES.'  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STILL WAS ABLE TO CLIMB AND THAT THERE WERE TREE BRANCHES HANGING ON THE WING.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE ELEVATOR HAD LIMITED DEFLECTION AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD.  POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING SPAR, ELEVATOR, AND VERTICAL STABILIZER.                                                                                                                                            (-23) PILOT FLEW LOW OVER TREES, MISJUDGED ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM TREES AND STRUCK TREES. AIRCRAFT LANDED AND STOPPED IN A CREEK.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97LA279](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA279), Sep 1, 1997: Piper PA-22 (N2743P), Castlewood, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the trees.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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